Sarah Palin to visit Haiti amid political unrest

Sarah Palin, the former Alaskan governor, plans to visit Haiti amid a period of political upheaval this weekend to aid humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean country.

Protestors burn a car in Haiti

7:00AM GMT 10 Dec 2010

A Palin spokesman said Mrs Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee and a potential 2012 presidential contender, planned to travel to Haiti with the Rev. Franklin Graham as part of the outreach of his Samaritan's Purse relief organisation.

The spokesman said she would visit relief sites over the weekend.

A cholera outbreak has killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti, a country that's still recovering from a devastating earthquake earlier this year and in the midst of a disputed presidential election.

Gunfire and barricades were reported in the capital city of Port-au-Prince this week, and the US State Department reissued a travel warning to the country and recommended against nonessential travel.

Rev Graham also heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, founded by his father, the Rev. Billy Graham. His Samaritan's Purse has maintained a presence in Haiti, treating thousands of people, building a cholera clinic and bringing in plane loads of medical aid, according to its website.

Mrs Palin will be joined on the trip by her husband, Todd and daughter Bristol as well.

After resigning as governor last year, Mrs Palin focused heavily on getting conservative candidates elected, earning a reputation as something of a kingmaker during the midterm elections and raising her own political profile.

Her travel outside the country has been limited since she burst onto the national stage, including a trip last year to Hong Kong, where she delivered a speech on US-China relations.